Saturday, August 6, 2005

Odd Sentencing ...


I'd like for you to read this news article today and voice your opinions about the sentencing in this case.  It's about a man pleading no-contest and then being sentenced to crochet for 320 hours.  Here's the article: Ex-Convict Pleads No Contest to Sex Abuse

I wonder if the Judge thinks crocheting is difficult.  I wonder if the Judge was anything like my Uncle where every time he got into trouble my Great Aunt sent him out onto the front stoop to crochet.  His friends would see him and tease him because it was so "girly."  But wait a minute, the Judge is a woman!

Hmmm. I wonder if the Judge tried to learn how to crochet and had difficulties learning herself.  Or maybe she's "in the know" knowing that the prison systems use crochet as a form of therapy.

I wonder.


                             OK, your turn!  Go ahead, discuss and share your thoughts.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gee, I'm _so_ happy that Martha Stewart has 3 more weeks of house arrest and this guy just gets 320 hours of crocheting. I really have no idea of the evidence submitted, but he must have thought there was enough to convict him since he pleaded "no contest".
I would say this is a very lenient sentence, given the limited information in the article.
Robin

Anonymous said...

I think it is a novel idea. They could not prove anything against the man so she did the next best thing:) I think it is a great idea to have him do something that is worthwhile and helpful to others. They should do that with more prisoners I think they should do knitting and all forms of needlecrafts to help control them. And it would build them up.
 I know when I finish an item I am really proud of what I have accomplished. I hope it works out for them all.

Anonymous said...

Cruel and unusual punishment indeed.

Anonymous said...

From what I'm reading in the article it the prosecution was about to give up.

Many times, even when the person isn't guilty, they are pressured into a plea bargain for fear of a harsher sentence.  What people don't realize is that the fact that he has to register as a sex  offender puts a major damper on his life.  I have a friend that has to register (he was 17 when he was convicted of statutory rape for having sex with his 15 year old girlfriend.  She said that she consented, but her parents pushed it.)  He's now 26 years old, but everywhere he moves to he has to register with the local authorities.  His name can be found online and he has been subjected to harassment because of it.  They don't list the circumstances of the case, just the conviction.

It's a standard community service punishment.